RCAAP Repository

With the Project “From Relation to Work and from Work to the Re-Invention of Social Contract” the CEG – Centro de Estudos do Género (Gender Studies Center) aims at developing in Portugal an area of “Gender Sociology” in the University. In order to achieve this goal, the CEG promotes research on the question of the construction of a new social contract based on categories that emphasize the social “relation” in opposition to the male and other modern economic categories. The role of women is considered fundamental for this reconstruction which moves the CEG to investigate about Social Gender Relations, taking up the following three issues: “The Love Discourse”, “Gender and Structures of Decision” and “Conciliation Work/ Family”. They represent aspects that are intimately related. The results of each aspect empower the other two, and should permit in due course of time a comparison of the results and theoretical framework.

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One of the main challenges for developers of new human-computer interfaces is to provide a more natural way of interacting with computer systems, avoiding excessive use of hand and finger movements. In this way, also a valuable alternative communication pathway is provided to people suffering from motor disabilities. This paper describes the construction of a low cost eye tracker using a fixed head setup. Therefore a webcam, laptop and an infrared lighting source were used together with a simple frame to fix the head of the user. Furthermore, detailed information on the various image processing techniques used for filtering the centre of the pupil and different methods to calculate the point of gaze are discussed. An overall accuracy of 1.5 degrees was obtained while keeping the hardware cost of the device below 100 euros.

Federmeier and Benjamin (2005) have suggested that semantic encoding for verbal information in the right hemisphere can be more effective when memory demands are higher. However, other studies (Kanske & Kotz, 2007) also suggest that visual word recognition differ in function of emotional valence. In this context, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of retention level upon recognition memory processes for negative and neutral words. Sample consisted of 15 right-handed undergraduate portuguese students with normal or corrected to normal vision. Portuguese concrete negative and neutral words were selected in accordance to known linguistic capabilities of the right hemisphere. The participants were submitted to a visual half-field word presentation using a continuous recognition memory paradigm. Eye movements were continuously monitored with a Tobii T60 eye-tracker that showed no significant differences in fixations to negative and neutral words. Reaction times in word recognition suggest an overall advantage of negative words in comparison to the neutral words. Further analysis showed faster responses for negative words than for neutral words when were recognised at longer retention intervals for left-hemisphere encoding. Electrophysiological data through event related potentials revealed larger P2 amplitude over centro-posterior electrode sites for words studied in the left hemifield suggesting a priming effect for right-hemisphere encoding. Overall data suggest different hemispheric memory strategies for the semantic encoding of negative and neutral words.